Kids' Food in Dining Room?

[karen11g]

I know kids have lots of options to eat elsewhere, but if you have a picky eater in the dining room for dinner, are there kid-friendly options? If not an actual kid's menu, are there items that are always available that you can ask for (like chicken fingers, etc.) Hopefully we'll find things on every dinner menu that she'll try and like, but just in case ...

[MrPete]

Yes, there is traditional kids fare, including chicken fingers, every night. There is an actual kids menu.

 

We mix and match, and 5 cruises later, DD orders right off the "adult" menu.

 

I have seen adults order of the kids menu....including the desserts!

 

Bon voyage!

[LisaT12]

They will make your child anything she asks for -- they make the best mac and cheese I ever tasted.

[Deb&Bert]

On the Victory they had a gread kids menu..

Mac and Cheese and I must say it was GREAT!!! My DD who is 26 orders off it all the time.. And even my DH some times.. Both very picky eaters..

 

Its really pretty funny sitting at dinner with these two who are eating Mac & Cheese and a Hot dog or chicken fingers..

[belle19]

don't let them order the quail....it don't taste anything like chicken:D

[ppeckham]

Encourage your picky eater to try something off the menu first. If he/she doesn't like it, then order a burger or chicken fingers. When else do you get to say, "If you don't like it, don't eat it". Most of the time we are paying for those meals one dish at a time and don't want to say that. You can on a cruise.

 

My kids were 9 and 11 when they cruised for the first time. The 11-year-old was a little pickier but still tried some new dishes, some of which he didn't like. But he tried them. My daughter is much more adventurous. She tried several "new" foods and found many dishes she dearly loved. Now on each cruise since she looks for the Grilled Chicken of Satay. Absolutely loves it!

[serene56]

Quail---lol We tried that....boney little bird wasnt it?

 

On our cruises we make a point of ordering something off themenu that we never ever had--never even heard of no less. We get it--taste it and pass it around. Found we like cold soups.. strawberry soup and pumkin soup.. Didnt like the quail at all. Even if its only a taste.... we had a great time. gave us good conversationa s we compared our tastes.. Its the best place to try new foods.

[fishoutofwater]

Our kids ages 4, 9 and 14 when we started to cruise, only ate the basic "kids" food when we stated to cruise. They only would order chicken fingers and hot dogs. After hearing us , my husband and I , trying to get them to try something different, the waiter each night would bring them something new to try. After a few night's the older ones was ordering off the main menu. It took the younger one a few cruise's but now she eats off the adult menu. Wouldn't hurt to see if they would "try" something every night.

[karen11g]

Thanks everyone. My picky eater is 11 and just now starting to like other foods. So we'll definitely encourage her to try new things ... Some of your stories of your picky eaters "evolving" on a cruise are very encouraging!

[Susky]

I'm hoping my 16 year old son (who has ramen noodles in his blood) will try some new things. But just to make sure he joins us for regular dinner, I let him know that he can always order a steak (one of his favorite things) if all else fails. I'm sure he'd be okay with chicken fingers in a pinch, too.

 

Otherwise, he will have to sit there and watch the rest of us eat, after which he can go get some pizza or something.

[Kpstill]

My kids were 3 and 5 last time they went. They ordered off the kid menu one night because they were given to them. After that, they were ordering the shrimp cocktail and beef wellington with everyone else. :cool:

 

What a great opportunity to hide those junk food (comparatively) menus from them and make them try something new. I know some kids just WON'T but my very strong-willed one happens to be a great eater.

 

In December no kids' menus for this "crew"!

[Nliedel]

Kids menus are available for you to look at here: www.cruiseclues.com

[FamilyMiracle]

DH will probably eat off the kids menu, cause he is our picky eater. My boys will eat off the regular menu (age 4 and 5). DH can go for a pizza after wards if he like. I don;t care... my boys are great eaters, and DH can just go eat whatever he wants.

[JrMafia90]

They have kids food. Some of the kids in our group last year ordered off the regular menu, it doesn't matter. My son, who is 15, orders the kids chicken nuggets as his apptizer if there isn't anything good then he would get his regular dinner.

[goodml]

I had to laugh about the quail comment. DD was 11 on our last cruise (her 4th) and she asked me what quail was and I of course said, 'it looks like a little chicken.' Duh, as was previously said, it sure don't taste like chicken:D . She was not impressed.

 

The first time our kids cruised which was in 96, there either was no children's menu or we just didn't know about it so the kids got used to trying new things from the regular menu and the waiters were fantastic about just bringing out something different for them each night, whether it was a cool looking veggie and dip plate or a fancy grilled cheese or something. Now when we cruise they don't even look at the kids menu and we have a 'no fries in the dining room' rule:D . The rare times they eat at the Windjammer they sometimes choose fries but surprisingly to me, not that often. I think cruising is just such a different experience for them from home that it's a really easy place to get them to try new things.